Although a cursory scratching of post-metal's foreboding surface reveals a startling number of wildly creative bands peddling variations on a disorientating and atmospheric theme, there has always been something special about Russian Circles. Memorial emphasises the Chicago trio's idiosyncratic take on the post-Neurosis template, eschewing the sustained bludgeon of 2011's Empros in favour of a more dynamic blend of apocalyptic riffs and shimmering fragility. A thrilling moment on an album that is full of them, the woozy melancholy of 1777 recalls Angelo Badalamenti's Twin Peaks theme reimagined by My Bloody Valentine, albeit with a muscular percussive thump cutting through the distorted melee. Elsewhere, the more succinct likes of Cheyenne and Ethel exude a dark-hued elegance and a hefty emotional punch. As with their previous albums, Memorial demands total immersion, but Russian Circles' sonic world is a welcoming one. Right now, few bands conjure such vital and nourishing food for the imagination.